Las Cruces Police arrested the man suspected of firing several rounds at an apartment early Saturday morning.
David R. Austin, 24, of the 1900 block of Ash Avenue, is charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building.
Las Cruces Police detectives learned that at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, Austin was leaving a party at an apartment complex at 2775 N. Roadrunner Parkway. As he got into his red pickup, he apparently could not find his cell phone so he repeatedly shouted out a vulgar word.
Apparently, a resident of the apartment complex – who was outside at the time – took issue with Austin’s explicit vocabulary so he yelled for Austin to shut up. The two then got into an argument which led to Austin brandishing a handgun and ordering the tenant back to his apartment.
A short while later, while Austin sat in his pickup, someone threw a rock through Austin’s passenger-side window, shattering the window and striking Austin’s right arm. Austin then jumped out of the truck and began firing a handgun, striking the tenant’s apartment building six times. No injuries were reported.
Officers subsequently learned the identity of the shooter and located him at his residence Saturdaymorning. He was taken into custody and the .40 caliber handgun believed to be used was located in his pickup.
Austin was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center Saturday morning and released on a $10,000 surety bond later the same day.
Information from Las Cruces Police